


the things you do for love (are gonna come back to you one by one)

by GretchenMaurice



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: 5 Times, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, it's been years i still don't know how to tag things, some battles, some feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26018257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenMaurice/pseuds/GretchenMaurice
Summary: Keyleth can't say it to Vex, but it's easier with Trinket.or, 5 times Keyleth took care of Trinket + 1 time he returned the favor
Relationships: Keyleth/Vex'ahlia (Critical Role)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 233





	the things you do for love (are gonna come back to you one by one)

**Author's Note:**

> *shows up 5 years late with starbucks and a 5+1* guess I live here now  
> (apologies to anyone who clicked on this bc of my wicked stuff. unless you're also into CR, in which case hi, welcome)

(1)

Keyleth lingers in a corner of the room, leaning against the wall, as the others prepare for their journey.

They’re kicking off the morning early—Percy’s already been in his workshop for nearly an hour, Scanlan is busy recounting a tale from last night’s adventures, and Grog shifts impatiently near the table, having been prepared for almost half an hour now.

Keyleth watches Vex place her feathers just so and bend over to finish lacing her boots. She has a crease in her brow, the one that Keyleth can never quite make out. Impatience, too, possibly. Or grumpy with the early hour, or simply going over what she’ll say to keep the boys in line and make their trip as efficient as possible.

Vax appears in the doorway to the kitchen, cutting Scanlan off. He gives Vex a lingering look, then glances over the rest of the group. “Are we sure we want to split up for this?”

“It’ll be fine,” Scanlan says. “One quick trip to town. We’ve got Vex to keep us from getting into trouble, Grog to get us out any trouble we inevitably find, and, of course, my charming demeanor to help us along the way.”

Keyleth sighs and forces herself to speak up. “Besides, someone should check on…”

She glances at the door to Percy’s workshop, firmly shut once more. To be honest, she’s not certain she could even walk down there without getting shot at. But the idea of leaving Percy alone—especially with that Briarwood couple showing up any day now—no. It’s not a good idea.

“We won’t be gone long,” Scanlan assures Vax. “Just one quick trip to town. What could possibly go wrong?”

“You know, you always say that.” But Vax relaxes a little.

“Can we go yet?” Grog asks.

With everyone’s attention back on their preparations, Keyleth allows her gaze to shift back to Vex, who pushes herself to her feet and brushes a bit of dust from her knee. She looks impossibly put together, considering how early it is. Keyleth sinks further against the wall.

“Take care of Trinket, won’t you, darling?” Vex asks, reaching absently for Vax’s arm.

“Sure, of course.”

Trinket himself appears, nudging at Vex’s back. She huffs out a laugh, her frown disappearing as she turns to bury her fingers in his fur.

“Don’t worry, Trinks, it’s only for a few hours. I promise. You’ll be a good boy, yes?”

Vax leans against Trinket and whispers, loud enough for the whole room to hear, “I’ve got you, Trinket. I’m going to feed you so much chocolate.”

“Don’t you dare—”

Vax breaks into a grin and dances out of Vex’s reach, but he doesn’t take it back.

“Vax, I swear—”

Grog groans. “Come _on,_ Vex!” He hefts his hammer onto his back and starts pushing Scanlan and Vex from the room.

Vax grins. “Time to go, Stubby.”

“Vax—”

“Vex, come on!” calls Scanlan.

Keyleth steps forward. “I’ll take care of it, Vex, just—” She cuts off, watching Vex glare at her brother before disappearing out the door with the others.

In the sudden quiet of the kitchen, Vax turns to her and winks. It’s always odd, that. Nothing like Vex’s wink, no matter how similar the two of them are. Vex’s winks are deliberate, pointed, and they always hit with a force that takes Keyleth’s breath away, even though it’s never been directed at her.

When Vax winks, it’s usually because he’s already smiling so much his eyes are half-crinkled shut anyway. He flicks a wink at her and nods back toward the workshop door. “Well? Shall we?”

“You’re not feeding him chocolate, Vax, it’ll make him sick.”

“Fair enough.” He holds his hands up in defeat. “What about us? Can we have chocolate?”

Keyleth rolls her eyes. His smile is contagious—it always has been. She bumps into his shoulder as she passes him, and he follows her down toward Percy’s workshop.

-

(2)

Keyleth loves the keep because it’s theirs. Every room has been custom-made to suit their needs, their tastes. It’s _theirs_. Vox Machina’s. She knows how much that means. She knows that Vex secretly cried the day they moved in, and that Vax has never felt safer than he does within these walls, and that Pike feels just as comfortable in her temple as she did at her home in Westruun.

Keyleth knows this, she loves this, but there are still days when the walls are too much and her garden isn’t enough and they’re not in Emon, really, but they’re far closer to a city than she’s ever been used to.

There are days she has to leave.

She packs a lunch and her cloak and not much else, really. She figures she should tell someone before she disappears for the day, but no one is in the entrance hall or the kitchen. She wanders out into the garden, figuring she’ll at least find Pike at her temple, but instead all she finds is Trinket.

He lifts his head as she walks into the garden and gives a low whine.

“Hey, Trinket,” Keyleth says, wandering over. She scratches him behind the ears. “How’s it going?”

Trinket gives a long, heavy sigh before lowering his head back to his paws.

“You look kind of out of it, bud. What’s wrong?”

His eyes focus on her satchel for a moment, then look back up to her, wide and sad.

“Ah, I get it. You’re tired of being holed up here, too?”

Another sigh.

“I’m sorry, Trinket. We’ve been so busy lately, we haven’t been able to leave the city. It’s not fun, staying cooped up in here all the time, is it?”

Trinket’s whimper would make her laugh if it didn’t make her so sad.

“Yeah. Me too, buddy.” Keyleth glances down at her pack. “Hey, do you think your mom would let you go on a little field trip?”

His head lifts, ears perked up.

“Okay, okay. Just let me ask before she gets mad at me for kidnapping you.” Keyleth touches her earring. “Hey, Vex. Are you there?”

There’s a moment’s pause, then, “Yes, darling. What is it?”

Keyleth hesitates, too. She wants to ask Vex to just come with them, but her stomach twists at the thought.

Instead, she settles for, “I’m going for a walk, just to get out of town for a while. Do you mind if I take Trinket with me? I promise I won’t get him into any trouble.”

“You? Trouble?” Scanlan’s voice comes over the earpiece. “No, never.”

“Shut up, Scanlan,” Vex says. “That’s a wonderful idea, darling. I know he’s tired of being in town so much.”

“You and me both,” Keyleth whispers to Trinket. He pushes himself to his feet and licks her free hand.

“Really, Keyleth. Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” But she’s blushing as she says it. Keyleth glances around, suddenly grateful there’s no one else in the garden. She lets go of the earring. “Well, Trinket? Let’s go on an adventure.”

He bounds eagerly toward the door. Keyleth laughs and runs after him.

-

(3)

It’s always harder when Pike is gone.

Keyleth dances around Scanlan, ducks beneath Percy’s outstretched arm. That _thing_ is too far away, but she’s desperate to reach it even as it opens its jaws and lets out a streak of lightning. Grog is up in its face, also out of her reach. Vax has disappeared somewhere behind it. She can feel the charge in the air, smell singed hair and clothes from the hit.

Her mind races. Water elemental and lightning—could be cool, but probably not the best idea. An earth elemental might be strong enough to pin it. _Might_ be. Her eagle could distract it, draw fire while the others attack. Faerie fire—no, Grog’s too close. A wall of stone, maybe, if things get too hairy, but for now—

A deep roar shakes the gorge, only to be drowned out by Vex’s piercing scream.

“ _Trinket!_ ”

Keyleth glances over as the bear hits the ground. Dust and pebbles shake with the weight of his impact. A few feet away, Vex has nearly turned her back on the creature they’re fighting to stare helplessly at him.

Keyleth’s boots skid as she changes direction, angling toward them. Grog bellows something in the creature’s direction, and his voice is strangely comforting amidst the chaos. A second shot rings out from where Percy stands. Scanlan’s melodic voice cuts through the din, somehow, as it always does, but she doesn’t catch a word he says. All she can hear is Vex’s scream, still echoing between her ears even though Vex herself has fallen still, staring silently at Trinket’s unconscious body.

Keyleth slides to her knees beside him, a healing spell already curling its way through her fingers. She presses one hand to his cheek, the other to the base of his neck. That creature is huge. It took Trinket down in one hit. They don’t know what else lurks in these mountains. Will they be able to rest before they reach town? What awaits them at their destination? If someone falls, there’s no Pike to bring them back. She has to pace herself, she has to be careful, she has to—

Vex’s voice, screaming Trinket’s name. Vex burying her face in his neck to hide tears from the rest of them. Vex going on long, quiet walks with him and coming back settled, peaceful, content.

Keyleth sets her jaw and pours more energy into the spell. Her hands glow brighter. When Trinket blinks awake, his eyes are alert and raring to go.

“Keyleth.” Vex sounds breathless. Keyleth glances up, but before she can say anything Trinket surges toward her and licks the side of her face. She smiles and pats the side of his neck.

Percy’s third shot rings out somewhere behind them. Keyleth scrambles to her feet again. Vex will surely pull Trinket back, but Minxie can take his place up front. She runs forward, feeling teeth and claws and muscle grow and shift into place. She leaps and Minxie lands, head down and growling, a few feet away from the creature.

Grog cries out—a laugh or a roar, she’s not entirely sure—and raises his hammer over his head. Keyleth attacks at the same time, digging teeth and claws into its scaly hide. It’s tough, but not tough enough to keep her from drawing blood. She feels the creature twist between her and Grog, shrieking so horribly she has to resist the urge to bring her paws to her ears.

She catches a dark blur of movement somewhere off to the side and looks up in time to see two daggers disappearing from the thing’s back. Keyleth pushes off its side, giving herself enough room to swipe. She growls in frustration as her claws glance harmlessly off its hide.

The creature twists and rears back. Keyleth crouches low, wincing almost before the lightning hits her.

For a second, the entire world is nothing but heat and light and _pain._ Keyleth ducks her head. The smell of burnt fur chokes her—and then it’s gone. Her arms—thin, bare, half-elven arms—shake from the effort of holding herself up.

The lightning fades. Somewhere far away, she swears she hears Vex gasp. Keyleth raises her head, glaring at the creature.

Grog appears behind it, giving one last, echoing battle cry as he swings his hammer home. The thing screeches and flails wildly. Keyleth lets her arms give out, ducking down as its tail flies over her head. But it doesn’t have the strength to hit back. With another swing of Grog’s hammer, the creature makes an awful choking sound and hits the ground.

Grog screams and keeps pummeling the body with his hammer, over and over and over. Keyleth slowly pushes herself to her feet, feeling the tension drain from her shoulders as she stands. The creature has fallen still save for the jerk every time Grog’s hammer falls. Keyleth frowns, about to step forward, but Vex is already moving his way and speaking gently.

A cold nose touches her ribs. Keyleth jumps, then settles again as she sees Trinket beside her.

“Hey, boy. You doing okay?”

He grunts and licks her arm. Keyleth lets out a breathy laugh as she scratches the side of his face.

“Yeah, same here. Just a little singed.”

Vex looks over her shoulder at them and smiles, relief and gratitude warming her features. Keyleth smiles back.

-

(4)

Vex is gone when the rest of them wake up.

It wouldn’t make her panic—really, it wouldn’t. Either she’s hiding somewhere in the keep or she’s out wandering the woods with Trinket. That’s fine. They all need their space from time to time.

What isn’t fine is finding Trinket, but no Vex.

Keyleth nearly flies down the stairs to find the others. She doesn’t notice the wind literally lifting her off her feet until Vax is there, grabbing her arms and gently easing her back to the floor.

“It’s fine, Kiki,” he murmurs. “She just went on a walk.”

She shakes her head, trying to push him off. “Without Trinket?”

“Yes, without Trinket. I walked her out myself this morning.” He gives her a small smile. “She asked me to take care of the bear.”

Keyleth breathes out, finally relaxing. A little. “She could’ve warned us.”

“She’s a bit distracted at the moment.” He says it lightly enough, but his head tilts as he looks at her. “So, shall I feed Trinket his breakfast, or—”

“No, no, I’ve got it.”

As if on cue, a cold nose nudges her between her shoulder blades. Keyleth lets out a little yelp and twists around. “Hey, boy. I take it you’re hungry?”

A little grumble is her response. She rests her hand on Trinket’s shoulder and starts off. “Come on. Maybe we’ll go on a little walk ourselves, yeah?”

They keep to themselves most of the day. Scanlan and Grog have run off to have whatever fun they can find in town, Pike and Percy spend most of the morning deep in their own conversation, and Vax has been giving her these strange, knowing looks lately. It makes her blush and it sets her on edge, but at least he’s kind enough to leave her be when she makes an awkward excuse to leave the room.

The hours crawl by in the half-empty keep. Keyleth wants to take advantage of the rare day off, but mostly she ends up working in her garden with Trinket. She checks up on the two large oak trees and the spattering of flowers she planted all those weeks ago. If they were home more often, she’d start a vegetable garden. But from the way the flowers always perk up whenever they’re back in Emon, she suspects that nothing much grows without her here.

She takes Trinket for walk around the keep after dinner, just to get out for a little bit. He sniffs the air as they return, then gives a low whine.

“She’s not back yet, then?” Keyleth asks him, giving his shoulder a pat. Trinket sighs. “It’s okay. Do you want to come back to the garden with me? Or do you want to wait for her in her room?”

Trinket looks over at the stairwell. He shakes himself and turns back to nudge Keyleth’s side. She bites back a smile.

“Okay, buddy. Come on then.”

They don’t run into anyone on their way outside. It would be surprising any other day, but for right now she’s okay with the quiet. Trinket makes his way over to the base of one of the trees and flops down. His jaw opens wide in a yawn, and Keyleth has to bite back one of her own. As Trinket settles down, he looks up expectantly at her.

Keyleth laughs. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry it’s not as comfy as Vex’s room.”

Trinket makes a soft, rumbling noise. Keyleth kneels beside him and takes a moment to scratch behind his ears and at the base of his neck. Then she lowers herself the rest of the way to the ground and leans back against him.

She feels his body rise and fall with each breath, a deep, soothing rhythm. Soon enough, she feels her own eyes fluttering. She should stay awake. She should keep an eye out for Vex, who will surely look for Trinket the moment she returns. She’s not falling asleep, she just…

It’s a strange state. Everything is warm and soft, like she really is there pressed up against Trinket, but there’s something else to it as well. The moon glows bright overhead, making this much lighter than the dark, cool courtyard she fell asleep in. And it’s louder. She can hear the birds overhead, and the occasional thud of one of Vex’s arrow hitting the practice targets they’d set up.

Vex empties her quiver and huffs, eyeing her work critically. She stomps over to the targets and begins carefully tugging each arrow free.

 _They were fantastic shots,_ Keyleth wants to call to her, but her tongue feels heavy in her mouth, so she settles for simply watching as Vex refills her quiver and paces back to her position.

 _Fwip-thud._ It lands in the center of the target. Keyleth knows—sees it—even though her eyes are still trained on Vex. _Fwip-thud._ The second arrow lands so close to the first it makes both shake in their place. _Fwip-thud._ But Vex still frowns, gaining no satisfaction from her precision. _Fwip-thud. Fwip-thud. Fwip—_

_Thud._

Keyleth jerks and falls back into her body. Trinket is there behind her still, but his presence is heavier than before. More real. She looks around the courtyard—no, opens her eyes first, then looks—but everything is a blur. Sleep and emotion and the remnants of whatever that dream had been make her eyes heavy and useless. She thinks she sees someone—pale, dark hair, a flash of blue? And there had been a noise, hadn’t there? The courtyard door?

 _Wake up_. Keyleth screws her eyes shut and presses her knuckles to them. She yawns, cracking her jaw. When she opens her eyes again, Vex’s face has come into focus.

“Oh!” She scrambles to her feet. Behind her, Trinket grumbles and huffs, but doesn’t quite wake up. “Sorry, Vex—I-I know this is your spot, I didn’t mean to intrude, I just fell asleep and—”

Vex’s eyebrow quirks up, but she’s smiling a little. “That’s alright, darling. He’s quite comfy, isn’t he?”

She reaches back absentmindedly and pats Trinket. “Yeah. Anyway, I should—I’ll go. He missed you today, by the way. Not that—I mean, you probably knew that. Um.”

Keyleth scuffs the toe of her boot against the ground. She should go. She should just go. Vex isn’t going to say anything else, there’s nothing else to say, she should just—

“Thought I told Vax to take care of him when I left.”

Yep, definitely should’ve just left. Keyleth tries to shrug smoothly, but even she knows it must look uncomfortably awkward. The moonlight shines down into the courtyard, glowing against the dew-damp grass. It glows against her, too, and out of the corner of her vision she can see her own shoulders, sharp and pale and gangly. She brings a hand up to her elbow and squeezes.

“Well, y’know, it takes a village, right? Besides, I like Trinket. We’re pals, right bud?” She looks halfway over her shoulder, but Trinket stays silent, giving her no help whatsoever. Keyleth winces and turns back to Vex. “And, you know, Vax always tries to feed him junk, so I thought—”

“Darling.” Vex’s smile is wider now, and softer. Keyleth feels her shoulders relax. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” she whispers. “Hey, Vex?”

“Yes?”

“How are you—I mean, I know that—” Keyleth forces herself to take a breath. “Are you okay?”

The smile stays on Vex’s face. Her eyes catch the light, and they’re not exactly happy, but they’re not as upset as Keyleth had been fearing all day. “I’ll be okay. I just…needed to clear my head.”

Keyleth nods. “Okay. Well…if you need anything else…”

“I know. Thank you, Keyleth.”

Keyleth smiles. She doesn’t want to stay too long and ruin the moment, though, so she brushes the dirt and bear fur off her pants and starts off.

Vex catches her hand as she passes, squeezing gently. Keyleth stops, but Vex’s face is tilted down, hidden in shadow, so she settles for simply squeezing back.

As she’s walking away, she can hear Vex murmuring to Trinket—and Trinket giving a low grumble in response.

“I knew he wasn’t asleep,” Keyleth scoffs. Yet she can’t help but smile as she makes her way back inside the keep.

-

(5)

Keyleth gratefully accepts the fresh cup of coffee Percy places in front of her. She touches his arm as he settles back down into the seat next to her. He gives her a nod, leaning just slightly into her, then turns his attention back to the discussion at hand.

They’d decided to come up with a plan over dinner. Their to-do list nearly doubled in the past two days, and they’ve left a trail of loose ends halfway across the continent. Not all of it’s difficult, necessarily, but it is time consuming. And time seems to be the one thing they never have these days.

Three hours and several heated arguments later, the only thing Keyleth is sure of is that it’s a bad idea to discuss plans over dinner. She barely made it halfway through her plate before it had gone cold. Her stomach rumbles at the reminder. She tells herself that’s why she has to bite back an angry retort to something Scanlan says.

She’s not the only one, either. It’s one of those nights where none of them seem to agree on anything, and no one can settle the issue enough to let it go. The group talks in circles over each other. Percy counters every idea—including his own—while Grog never shifts his own opinions. Scanlan adds a smug smile and teasing remarks to every other point he makes. Vax tries and fails to keep the peace, but he’s exhausted. Next to him, Vex stays mostly quiet—until she doesn’t, and she snaps at whoever has just said the stupidest thing she’s ever heard.

Keyleth places her elbows on the table and lets her head fall into her hands. She rubs at her temples. If only Pike were here. They never seem to argue as much around her. And Scanlan would be on much better behavior, and Vex would at least smile once in a while, and—

“What do you think? Keyleth?”

“Huh?”

Scanlan snorts as Keyleth jerks her attention back to the table. Vex stares coldly at her. When Vax opens his mouth to repeat himself, she cuts him off.

“I know we’re all tired, darling.” There’s an edge to Vex’s voice—the kind that always makes Keyleth want to lean further away from her. “But we have to figure this out, so would you pay attention, _please_?”

Keyleth swallows. Her fingers grip the edge of the table, ready to push herself up and stalk out.

The door to the dining hall swings open, making them all jump. Everyone reaches for their weapons, but it’s just Trinket in the doorway, lumbering in.

Vex sighs. “Buddy—”

Trinket grumbles, but it pitches up into a whine.

“I thought we said no interruptions, Vex,” Scanlan tells her.

She shoots him a scathing look, but turns back to Trinket. “I told you to stay in the garden, bud.”

Trinket lowers himself to the ground and rests his head on his paws, blinking sadly up at her.

“I know, this is taking longer than we thought, but—”

Another whine. Vex scowls.

“Trinket,” she snaps. “I said go.”

Silence stretches over the room, taut and heavy. Trinket stares up at her.

Then he pushes himself back up and, head ducked low, makes his way back out of the room.

Vex settles back in her chair and turns her scowl back to the table. It sweeps across all of them, daring them to say something, before settling on Keyleth, who slowly lets go of the edge of the table.

“Sorry, Vex.” It comes out as a whisper. She clears her throat and tries again. “Sorry. I’m listening.”

Something in Vex’s gaze shifts, but Keyleth looks away before she can see what it is. Vax rubs his forehead and repeats his point, and the discussion continues.

Another hour passes before they make enough progress to call it a night. Or maybe they all just give up. Vax is out of the room first, disappearing into the shadows as soon as he passes through the door. Percy isn’t far behind him. Grog grumbles something about getting more food, and he and Scanlan head into the kitchen.

Keyleth finds herself alone in the room with Vex. She steals a glance her way. Vex is still in her chair, scowling down at the table. Keyleth wants to walk over to her. She wants to apologize again. She wants to put her hand on Vex’s shoulder and tell her it’ll be alright, they don’t need to have all the answers right now. She wants to thank her, for always trying to keep them on track.

There’s more she wants to do, too. She wants to take Vex’s hands in both of hers. She wants to draw her gently to her feet and lead her up to one of their rooms. She wants to hold her close through the night, breathe her in, remind both of them that it’s okay, they’re doing their best. Most of all, Keyleth wants to hold Vex’s gaze and tell her openly, honestly, _bravely,_ that—that she—

Vex shifts. Her head lifts, and for the first time she notices Keyleth still hovering in the room. Their eyes meet.

Whatever imagined confidence Keyleth had vanishes as soon as she looks at her. Vex’s scowl drops, but she’s still unreadable.

Keyleth, on the other hand, knows she’s an open book. She bites her lip and turns away before Vex gets the chance to read her.

She strains her ears as she leaves the room, but Vex stays still and quiet. Keyleth lets out a breath once she’s alone in the hallway. She keeps walking—aimlessly at first, but then with purpose as she finds herself turning down the hall that leads to her garden.

The night sky is clear and brighter than usual, allowing the moons and stars to shine fully down upon their keep. Keyleth glances across the garden toward Pike’s temple, alight with a dreamy silver glow. She breathes in deep, letting the chill and the stillness settle over her.

A low rumble sounds from nearby one of her trees. Keyleth looks over and sees Trinket curled up against the trunk. He lets out a huff and blinks at her.

“Hi, Trink,” Keyleth whispers. Dew has already gathered on the grass, and it brushes against her ankles as she makes her way over. It’s colder out here than she thought. She breathes out, watching a trace of fog curl away from her lips.

Trinket gives a soft, low whine. Keyleth kneels beside him and reaches up to scratch behind his ear.

“We’re done now. I bet she’d love it if you go find her.”

He raises his head and looks past her shoulder. For a moment he just stays like that, staring at the doors to the keep. Then he lowers himself again.

“You’re staying here?”

His shoulders rise for a moment, then slump again as he lets out a heavy sigh.

“Well, alright.” Keyleth looks back at the keep herself. She thinks about Vex, maybe still sitting alone in that dining hall. “Do you mind if I stay with you?”

Trinket tilts his head to nudge further into her hand. She scratches his fur again.

“Thanks, Trinket.”

A breeze drifts through the garden. Keyleth shivers, feeling her skin rise in bumps. She glances up at the night sky again and tries not to think of all the things she could’ve said to Vex.

Maybe Trinket has the right idea. Keyleth pushes herself to her feet, stretches, then lets herself fall forward. She feels warm, familiar fur cover her body. She feels herself grow strong, fast, powerful. It’s always a little easier, as Minxie—or as any of her animals. Easier to feel useful. Easier to not have to choose her words. Easier to forget everything that isn’t the gentle breeze in her fur and the steady earth beneath her paws.

Trinket raises his head long enough to lick the side of her cheek. Keyleth nudges him back, earning herself a happy little rumble. Trinket settles back down and she follows suit, curling up at his side. No one bothers them for the rest of the night.

-

(1)

Trinket nearly knocks the front door from its hinges as he barges into it.

“Vex, can you control your damn bear for once?”

“Say one more thing about my bear, Scanlan, and I’ll—”

“ _Enough_.” Vax steps between them, hands out to keep them apart even though they’re on opposite sides of the room. “Knock it off, you two, we have more important things to focus on.”

“That’s what I’m _trying_ to do,” Vex points out. “Which is why I’m going to track her down.”

“In the middle of the night? In the pouring rain?”

“If I have to, yes.” She grits her teeth as Vax shakes his head. “Why are you doubting me?”

“I’m not doubting your _skill_ , Vex, but none of us are in any shape to go out there again.”

“I’m fine!”

“Speak for yourself,” Grog grumbles, already half asleep at the kitchen table.

“I _am_ speaking for myself. I’m fine, so I’m going.”

Vax crosses the room toward her. “Not on your own, you’re not.”

“I’ve got Trinket, remember? Or haven’t you noticed him trying to tear down the door?”

“Oh, we’ve noticed,” mutters Scanlan.

Vex shoots him a glare, then turns back toward Vax. “He’s desperate to find her, too. We can’t just leave her out there.”

“She knows what she’s doing. If we all made it back in the state we’re in, so can she.”

“You and I had each other. Grog and Scanlan had each other. She’s _alone_ out there.”

“Yeah, and last we saw her she was a giant fucking eagle.”

“That was nearly an hour ago! They could’ve followed her, too. They could’ve—”

“And what if you get lost trying to find her?” Vax demands. “Or hurt? What happens if she comes back and you don’t? Or if we have to venture out there and save both of you because you decided to go alone?”

She rolls her eyes. “Your faith in me is staggering.”

“Vex—”

The walls shake as Trinket lets out a roar behind them. Vax claps his hands over his ears. At the table, Grog groans a weak response.

Scanlan glares at her. “Vex, I swear—”

“He’s worried about Keyleth!” Vex shouts. “More than the rest of you, apparently!”

“If we go out there now, we’ll be no use to her.” He’s nearly begging now. Vex almost feels bad. “Come on, Stubby, we’re all dead on our feet here. Not all of us fight long range.”

Her resolve hardens. She meets his eyes. “Exactly. That’s why you’re staying, and I’m going.”

“Vex—”

“Trinket, let’s go.”

He bursts through the door before anyone else has time to argue. Vex sprints after him, leaping lightly onto his back as they surge out into the storm.

“If you don’t come back alive I’m kicking your ass!” Vax calls out behind them. Vex waves her hand over her shoulder, then leans forward and urges Trinket on.

It had been a simple bounty. Rumors of monsters in an abandoned fort outside town, who had become just enough of a threat to be a nuisance to the city. They could creep in, surprise them, and make short work of the group. For Vox Machina, it was just another day.

But they’d been far more outnumbered than they expected, and the creatures were fast, with archers and _magic users,_ of all things. And they’d known the area better. The party soon found themselves surrounded.

Grog had managed to take down their two biggest warriors, and Keyleth and Vex took out their sorcerers while Scanlan, Vax, and Trinket thinned the ranks. But it was still too much.

Keyleth got Vax back up as soon as he fell, but it wouldn’t be for long. When Scanlan suggested it was time to fall back, not even Grog protested.

“Can we even outrun these things?” Vex had shouted, dodging an arrow that came her way.

“We have to hold them off long enough to disappear into the woods!”

Grog had grinned and lifted his hammer higher, but Keyleth touched his shoulder.

“How would you get out, Grog? No. I’ll stay.”

“Keyleth—”

“I have one more transformation left,” she assured Vex. “I’ll be able to get out. Now go!”

So they fled, leaving Keyleth behind to draw their attention. Vex remembers hearing the crack of lightning, watching the rising glow of flames from within the fort. She had stopped Vax and refused to keep going until she knew—

Keyleth’s giant eagle soared out of the fort, and Vax had grabbed her and urged her further into the woods.

That was the last she saw of Keyleth.

Vex digs her fingers into Trinket’s fur and urges him to go faster. She’s still shaking from the sprint back to their keep—or maybe that’s the chill of the rain drenching her.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” she whispers to Trinket. He tilts an ear back but otherwise doesn’t react. Mud and water splash up with every fall of his paws, but he keeps going, just as intent on their target as she is.

They’d made it all the way back to the keep on foot—if Keyleth was still an eagle, she should’ve made it back by now, too. The thought makes Vex feel sick. Something happened. Something went wrong. They left Keyleth alone, surrounded by enemies, and then they left her alone in the woods, in a storm, with who knows what still chasing her.

Trinket slows as they reach the tree line. Vex slides off his back and walks alongside him, looking for anything that can lead her to Keyleth. Her fingers itch to cling to something, so she pulls her bow out and holds an arrow loosely to the string. She finds herself sending a silent thought up to Sarenrae, and to Pike, across the sea serving her, and to any other gods that might care enough to listen. She’ll pray to the trees themselves, even, if they could just _show her—_

She would’ve missed her entirely if it weren’t for the flash of lightning. The sky lights up, and as Vex ducks her head to save her eyes she catches a glimpse of something lean and pale, far off and high up in the branches.

“Keyleth!”

Trinket spins at the sound of her voice, snuffs the air, and takes off.

“Hey, wait—Trinket!”

For the first time that she can remember, Trinket doesn’t listen. He just bounds ahead, disappearing into the trees. Vex narrows her eyes and takes off after him.

He doesn’t go far, at least. It’s only a minute later when she finds him again. He’s on his hind legs, scratching at the trunk of one of the thicker trees. Trinket whines, low and piercing, then snuffs the air above him. Vex frowns and follows his gaze up.

It’s her. Keyleth has always been pale—like the glow of the moon when it’s full, or the soft white sun of an early morning—but now she’s nearly translucent. And she’s not moving. Vex breathes in sharply, and she tastes something sharp and metallic on the air, even through the rain.

“She’s lost blood.”

She’s not sure who she says it to—Trinket is too fixated on the tree, and Keyleth still doesn’t stir—but the sound of her own voice is enough to shake her out of her stillness. Vex runs the rest of the way up to Trinket and touches his shoulder to ease him back down to all fours.

“Easy, boy. I’ll get her. You keep watch.”

Trinket huffs and lowers his head. His gaze scans the woods around them and he plants himself, sturdy and ready for anything that comes upon them.

Vex places her boot against a knot in the trunk and pushes up. It’s second nature, even when the bark is soaked, and soon enough she’s on a branch just below the one holding Keyleth. Now that she’s closer, she can see the scratches along Keyleth’s face and shoulders. Her arm is cradled against her torso—against a spot on her ribs that’s darker than the rest of her clothes.

Vex sets her jaw and pulls herself the rest of the way up. Keyleth must have been conscious when she landed, because the branch she’s on is thick enough to hold both their weight, and she’s balanced neatly against the trunk with little fear of tilting to the side and falling off.

“At least there’s that,” Vex mutters to herself, creeping closer. Keyleth’s eyes flutter at the sound. “Keyleth, darling, can you hear me?”

“Mmhuh?”

Trinket gives a low whine beneath them. Vex reaches out. “Keyleth?”

“Vex?” Her eyes flutter open, her brow creasing at the sight of her. “What’re you doing here?”

“What am I doing? What are _you_ doing? You had us worried _sick_!”

“So everyone else made it out?”

Vex rolls her eyes. “You know, you’re an idiot sometimes.”

Her mouth twitches into a smile. “Take that as a yes.”

“What the hell happened to you, anyway?” Vex demands. “It’s been over an hour, and you weren’t moving, and you look like you’ve lost so much blood and—”

As if Vex had reminded her, Keyleth hisses and winces. She lifts her arm and looks down. “Oh. Right. That.”

“ _Keyleth_.”

“I healed it as much as I could!” She says it defensively, and Vex suddenly remembers every spell Keyleth cast in the fort—and after, as the rest of them fled into the trees.

“Oh, darling.”

“It’s fine.” Keyleth shrugs, then sucks in another harsh breath. Vex grabs her arms, gently, holding her still. “S’not like I was gonna die or anything.”

“That’s exactly what almost happened.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t have any healing potions,” Vex says. _Stupid_ , really. Why hadn’t she thought of that before she left? “Can you move?”

“Of course I can—”

“Keyleth.”

Keyleth frowns, looking just over Vex’s shoulder. “I…think so. I can walk. I just…don’t know if I can…”

Vex nods. “I’ll help you down.”

“But—”

“Come on, darling.”

Something in Keyleth settles. She nods a little and pushes herself up—not quite managing to hide her wince as she does so.

It takes a while. Vex flits around her, not quite sure where to position herself to offer the best support, but she eventually manages to get Keyleth back onto the ground and on her feet.

“Thanks,” Keyleth breathes. She lets go of Vex, trying to stand on her own, but as soon as Vex releases her grip she falls again.

Trinket appears at her side, catching her before she can completely collapse.

“Hey, boy,” Keyleth whispers. He whines. “No, don’t worry, it’s just a little scratch.”

“Keyleth.”

“Okay, it was three arrows.” She buries her fingers in Trinket’s fur. “But it’ll be a little scratch soon enough.”

Vex closes her eyes. _Three arrows._ Why had they let her go off on her own?

“Vex.” Keyleth waits until Vex opens her eyes. “Really, I’m okay.”

“You look half-dead.”

“But I’m not. You’re here.”

Vex finds herself unable to form a response. She’s not used to being speechless, so she bides her time by just watching Keyleth. Taking her in—alive and breathing and even mostly standing.

Another streak of lightning sets the sky ablaze, just for a moment. Without thinking, Vex steps closer and brushes a bit of wet hair back from Keyleth’s cheek.

Keyleth’s eyes flutter shut, and Vex tenses, ready to catch her.

The thunder hits. Trinket grumbles, bristling as the ground trembles with it. Vex realizes how close they are and takes a step back.

“Come on. Let’s get you home.”

Keyleth opens her eyes but keeps them on the ground. “Uh, Vex?”

“Yes, darling?”

“I, uh, may have lied. I’m not sure I can make it.”

As if in response, Trinket lowers himself to the ground. Keyleth gasps and nearly falls with him, but Vex grabs her and steadies her.

“Easy, boy,” she says, fighting back a laugh. “I know you’re eager, but be gentle.”

Trinket huffs and tosses his head. Vex glances up at Keyleth. “That solves that, then.”

A smile ghosts across Keyleth’s face. Vex helps her onto Trinket’s back, then pulls her bow out and nocks an arrow again.

“Ready?”

Keyleth buries her face in Trinket’s fur. “I don’t know what’s still out here. I think I managed to throw them off, but—”

“Don’t you worry about that. Just hang on to Trinket.”

She does, but there’s a tenseness in her body. Vex reaches out and runs her fingers down Trinket’s cheek, urging him to move gently. His eyes are hard and determined. Vex watches as he moves alongside her, every paw placed with precision so as not to jostle his rider.

It’s quiet for a few minutes. Vex strains her ears and glances about with every new flash of lightning, desperate to catch a sign of whatever else is in the forest with them. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Keyleth shift and twist her neck. When she settles again, she’s facing Vex.

“How far?” she whispers.

“Not very,” Vex replies. “You weren’t terribly far from the edge of the woods. Once we’re out of the trees, we’ll be fine.”

“Aw, man. I knew I could’ve made it.”

Vex rolls her eyes. “With three arrows sticking out of you?”

“Hmm. That does make it harder to fly.”

“Why didn’t you try to find one of us?” She lets annoyance drip into her voice—immediately regrets it when she sees Keyleth turn her face further into Trinket’s fur.

“They were still after me.” It’s barely loud enough to catch. “I’d just be leading them back to you.”

“They were after us too, you know.”

“So you wanted me to bring them reinforcements?”

“I want you to be _safe_!”

Keyleth scowls and starts to push herself up, a retort clearly on the tip of her tongue, but before she can say it she tenses and sucks in a breath.

Trinket huffs, startling Vex. She glances at him and sees normally loving eyes glaring back at her. She looks back at Keyleth, her muscles still locked up in pain, and slumps a little.

“Key—”

“I’m fine.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Keyleth’s eyebrows shoot up. Slowly, she lowers herself to rest against Trinket once more. Trinket seems to relax again, and he stops glaring at Vex.

“I’m not going to lie,” Vex says softly. “What you did was stupid. But it was also brave, and it got us out of there alive.”

“That’s all I wanted.”

“I know.” She steps closer, watching both Keyleth and Trinket tense a little, but they both relax again as she runs her fingers through Keyleth’s hair. “But you know, darling, the rest of us want _you_ alive, too.”

Keyleth had closed her eyes at the touch, and it takes her a long moment to respond. “I’m still here, Vex.”

“Thank the gods for that.” Vex lifts her hand, ready to run it through her hair again, but instead she lets it drop and takes a step back. “Come on. Let’s get you home before the rain finishes you off.”

An amused smile flits across Keyleth’s pale face. Vex stays still for another long moment, simply watching her. It’s not until another crack of thunder echoes through the sky that she shakes her head and gets them moving again.

They don’t move quickly. If Keyleth isn’t completely sure she shook them off, Vex doesn’t want to take any risks. Trinket moves silently beside her, his head low as his eyes peer through the darkness. The rain and the wind muffle all other sounds, and for a while it feels like nothing exists outside the three of them.

Keyleth’s eyes stay shut. She’s so still—almost serene—on Trinket’s back. In fact, after a while Vex is sure she’s fallen asleep again.

“Darling.”

“M’wake,” she whispers back. “How far are we?”

“It should just be—”

_Snap._

Keyleth’s eyes fly open. She starts to push herself up, but Vex touches her shoulder and gently eases her back down.

Their eyes meet. _Stay,_ Vex mouths. Keyleth’s eyes are wide, her face too pale. But after a suspended beat, she nods.

Vex straightens again and looks around. She can feel Trinket bracing himself beside her, his fur bristling with anticipation. It’s dark—too dark—but she’s sure she can feel eyes on her. How many? How far? And where—

Lightning illuminates the forest again, and in the split second she gets Vex sees three glistening silhouettes.

She lets instinct take over as she draws back and fires. There’s a thud, a wet hiss, then more snapping and rustling as she feels more than sees the creatures dart closer.

“Vex!”

A spear juts out toward her side, and she twists out of its way just in time. She sees the glint of wet scales and yellow, reptilian eyes. The creature hisses at her. Vex bares her teeth and nocks another arrow.

She hears the slip of something against the forest floor and spins around as a dagger lashes toward her. Vex brings her arm up, stumbling back, and the blade glances off her bracer.

Behind her, she hears a soft gasp as Trinket roars and shifts. She resists the urge to turn and look. Instead, she focuses on the lizard in front of her—too close to shoot. She narrows her eyes and catches her first arrow sticking out of its shoulder. With a cry, she jumps forward and grabs the arrow, tugging it down as hard as she can. The creature makes a garbled sound at the back of its throat. Vex lets go as its legs buckle and the thing collapses in front of her. She turns to face the one with the spear again, backing up as she does.

It cries out something and swings in a wild arc. Vex jumps back, but she can’t quite make it out of the spear’s reach. She sucks in a breath as it grazes her arm.

“You little—” She raises her bow again and lets the arrow fly. It lands solidly in the thing’s stomach, but the lizard just hisses and raises its spear again. Vex snarls back and fires another arrow—straight to the throat. The lizard gargles and collapses.

A shriek sounds behind her—closer than she expects. Vex twists around, trying to catch sight of Keyleth and Trinket, but instead all she can see is the third creature in front of her.

It raises a club and swings hard. Vex’s boot catches the body of one of the fallen lizards and she stumbles instead of dodges. The club hits her as she falls, knocking her down with enough force to leave her breathless. The lizard snarls and lifts its club again.

“ _Vex!_ ”

The forest lights up again, warmer this time. Vex flinches away from the light and feels heat rush past her. When she opens her eyes, flames are flickering around the edges of the lizard’s clothes. It screeches and turns. Vex follows its gaze back to Keyleth, standing next to Trinket, her arm outstretched as flames flicker out around her fingers, too.

The lizard lets out a piercing cry—much too loud to be just its own—and lunges back toward Keyleth and Trinket. Vex tries to cry out, but the sound catches in her throat.

Keyleth’s hand lights up again and she sends another blast of flames at it. It’s small, much smaller than anything Vex has seen her cast in months, but it hits the thing squarely in the chest.

As the lizard falls, so does Keyleth, her knees buckling underneath her.

Hissing and screeching fills the forest around them. Keyleth stays on her hands and knees, arms shaking with the effort. Vex tries to scramble to her feet, to grab her bow again, to do _something_ , but the sight of two more creatures bursting through the trees behind Keyleth makes her blood run cold, and all she can do is stare in silent horror as they lunge toward her.

Trinket crashes into them before they can reach her. He bellows—Vex feels the sound reverberate through her chest—and raises a paw to swipe at them. One of them tries to duck out of the way, but Trinket follows it down, jaws snapping viciously onto its shoulder.

She doesn’t know what comes over her, but all Vex can do is sit in the mud and stare as Trinket tears the two apart. He keeps his body solidly between Keyleth and the oncoming threat, and he doesn’t show any sign of backing down—not even when one of the lizards brings its club down against his shoulder. Trinket just roars again—the whole forest shakes with it—and rises onto his hind legs. He crashes down on the lizard, knocking it to the ground, and the thing moves no more.

The forest falls still again. The only sound is the quiet sigh of the rain hitting the leaves, and even that has slowed. Trinket stares down his foes for a moment longer, his entire body heaving, before turning back to them.

“Keyleth.” Vex finally snaps out of it and dashes over. Keyleth’s still conscious—thank the gods—but she stays on the ground, trembling even harder than before. Vex slides to her knees beside her and grabs her face. “Keyleth, hey, look at me.”

“M’okay.” Her eyes are still closed, even as she leans her cheek into Vex’s palm.

“No, you’re not okay. _Keyleth._ ”

Keyleth’s eyes flutter open. “See? I’m okay.”

“I thought I told you to stay.”

“And not help you when that thing is standing over you? No way.”

Vex brushes back the hair that clings to Keyleth’s forehead. “That measly little flame took nearly all your energy. And then there were _more_ of them, and you were—and I couldn’t—I thought you—”

Keyleth closes her eyes again, and it’s hard to tell with the rain, but the water that hits Vex’s fingers feels warmer suddenly. She wipes the tears from Keyleth’s cheeks, uselessly, stupidly, and inches closer.

“Keyleth, those things nearly killed you.” Her voice is thicker than she wants it to be, but she doesn’t bother trying to fight it. “Again.”

Trinket walks up and nudges his nose against Keyleth’s shoulder. She sways, but a smile pulls at the corner of her lips.

“S’okay,” she whispers, looking up at Vex again. “Trinket’s got my back.”

He gives a low whine in response. Keyleth raises her arm and wraps it around his neck. She pulls away—Vex has to remember to drop her hands and let her go—and buries her face in Trinket’s fur.

“He does love you,” Vex hears herself say. The rain muffles her voice, making her sound miles away. _I love you_.

It’s not a surprise, not really, but it is a realization. Still, watching the two of them, feeling Keyleth’s knees pressed against hers—how did she not see it before? She exhales in a huff, not sure whether to laugh or cry.

“ _I_ love you.”

Keyleth lifts her head to look at her again. Deathly pale or not, the blush that rises to her cheeks is hard to miss.

“Love you, too.” The whisper barely makes it out, almost as if Keyleth fears saying it too loud. She clears her throat and ducks her head, looking at the ground beside them instead of at Vex. “Thank you, for coming after me. I know you—”

Vex grabs her face again, cutting her off, and waits for Keyleth to raise her gaze once more. When she does, it’s a struggle to keep her breath enough to say it. But she does her best, making sure Keyleth hears every meaning behind her words. “Keyleth. I love you.”

Her eyes widen. “Vex?”

“Darling.” She leans closer until she nearly has to break eye contact, but she leaves just enough space between them. Just enough for Keyleth to—

Keyleth closes the distance. Their lips meet. Keyleth’s other arm drops from Trinket so both can wrap around Vex’s shoulders. She feels breath against her cheek and everything is warm, warm, warm despite the rain and the night and—

Trinket nudges against them, startling them both apart. Keyleth stares, still wide-eyed. Then she bursts into laughter. Vex can’t help but follow suit. She laughs, shaky and relieved and free. She laughs and pulls Keyleth in to rest against her shoulder, and then she waves Trinket in even as he’s already leaning forward. He presses his face into Keyleth’s wild hair and lets out a warm, happy huff. Vex feels Keyleth smile against her skin.

“I love you, too” Keyleth breathes. Vex’s arms tighten around her.

“Come on. Let’s get you home.”


End file.
